Carousel



Qct. 2, 1956 J. R. TAYLOR 2 9 CAROUSEL I Filed May 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5,4 ZWWW/WWWWWWM INVENTOR JOHN R TAYLOR Get. 2, 1956 J. R. TAYLOR 2,765,168

CAROUSEL Filed May 28, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 all INVENTOR JOHN R. TAYLOR nite States This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the mechanism for effecting the actuation of amusement devices in the nature of merry-go-rounds, carousels, and the like, and in particular relates to a new and novel arrangement of means for effecting vertical reciprocation of user-supporting seats or the like during revolution of the device. The invention further relates to a new and novel means for driving such a rotary amusement device.

It has heretofore been contemplated that amusement devices of the nature of merry-go-rounds, carousels and the like, may be provided in which the device is revolved and person-supporting seats are moved reciprocally upwardly and downwardly to impart a pleasing sensation to the persons riding thereon.

It has been contemplated that such devices may include a plurality of extending arms, from the distal ends of which the person-supporting seats are mounted and have in some instances provided a cam member having an undulating upper edge engaged by certain forms of followers effecting vertical movement of the followers and transmitting this movement to the seat-supporting arms for effecting an up-and-down movement of the seats. Many of the prior devices have required a cumbersome and awkward superstructure involving a plurality of struts and arms for the bracing and supporting of the various members and have been provided with a constant drive which has in many instances proven dangerous after the device has been put into motion, as for example when a passenger has fallen from the supporting seat.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a rotary amusement device of a simple, efficient and safe nature.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device in which a plurality of person-supporting seat structures are suspended from elongated arms pivoted to a revolvable structure in which the structure is supported by a standard upon which is mounted a horizontal cam plate, the peripheral horizontal edge of which plate is provided with horizontal undulations, the periphery of such cam plate being engaged by cam followers respectively carried upon a portion of the seatsupporting arms for effecting oscillation of the arms and reciprocation of the seats.

A further object of the invention is to provide in such a cam plate alternating convex lobes and concave depressions in which each lobe is diametrically opposite from a depression in order to eifect a balance between oppositely disposed seat-supporting arms and the structures supported thereby.

A further object of the invention is to suspend the person-supporting seat structures non-rigidly from the ends of the elongated and projecting arms of the revolvable structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the revolvable structure a differential drive whereby to provide for simple interruption of drive in the event of accident.

A further object of the invention is to provide as such a diiferential drive oppositely driven pulley means driven at differing rates of speed, concurrently acting upon a roller-carrying spider connected to the drive shaft of the revolvable mechanism whereby to drive the spider in accordance with the difierential between the rotational rates of the respective pulleys; and

" atent C A further object of the invention is to generally improve the design, construction and efficiency of rotary amusement devices, particularly to provide an inexpensive and eificiently operational device.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on an enlarged scale taken as one the line HIHI of Fig. 4, and illustrating the arrangement of the cam plate and followers of the device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken as on the line IV-IV of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical view of the central body of the device with parts removed for illustration.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the line VIVI of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on a further enlarged scale taken as on the line VIIVII of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the central body of the device includes a vertically disposed, non-rotary, hollow standard 11, to the lower end of which is rigidly fixed a hollow motor housing 13. Standard 11 and depending housing 13 are supported with the housing out of ground contact by a tripod consisting of legs 15 connected to the standard 11 intermediate its length and substantially above housing 13 and braces 16 connected to legs 15 intermediate their length, and connected to standard 11 adjacent housing 13. At their lower ends tripod legs 15 are provided with ground-engaging feet 17 which may be fastened in position as by spikes 18, which, as indicated in Fig. l, are driven into the ground through the feet 17.

Adjacent, but spaced below the upper end of standard 11, a horizontal cam plate 19 is rigidly fixed to standard 11, preferably as by welding. The cam plate is provided with a plurality of projecting convex lobes 19A and a corresponding plurality of concave depressions 193, the cam plate 1? being so arranged that each lobe 19A is diametrically opposite a depression 19B. Housed within standard 11 is an elongated, vertically disposed and rotatable drive shaft 21. The lower end of drive shaft 21 is preferably journalled and supported in a suitable bearing 23 mounted on the base of motor housing 13 and at its upper end shaft 21 is keyed to a hub plate 25. Preferably shaft 21 adjacent its upper end is journalled in a bearing 27 carried by standard 11 adjacent its upper end and within its interior.

Hub plate 25 is supported for revolution upon a roller bearing 29 carried by the upper end of standard 11. If desired the central opening in hub plate 25, through which shaft 21 projects, and the hollow interior of standard 11 are covered by a cap 31 fixed to the upper surface of hub plate 25.

Oscillatably connected with hub plate 25 are a plurality of radially extending truss-like composite arms 33. Preferably the truss arms 33 are of a substantially triangular nature and include upper members 35 which may be formed of tubular material. Upper members 35 are pivotally connected, preferably to the underside of hub plate 25 as by trunnions 37, for oscillation relative to the hub plate. The outer ends of members 35 are respectively rigidly connected with flat bars 39 and adjacent the inner ends of members 35 and bars 39, the members and bars are interconnected and braced, as by normally upright struts 41. The members 35, bars 39 and struts 41 thus are assembled into substantially triangular trusses which make up the composite arms 33.

Radially inwardly of struts ll each of the fiat bars 39 is preferably provided with a yoke 43 and in each yoke is rotatably supported a follower roller 45, for rotation in a horizontal plane. The inner ends of members connected to trunnions 37 are spaced upwardly from yokes 43, so that follower rollers 45 are positioned against the undulating horizontal periphery of cam plate 19 and are adapted to ride therealong upon revolution of hub plate 25. Preferably the fiat bars 39 of the trusses project radially outwardly beyond their junctions with members 35 to provide for attachment of the seat supports.

Preferably the seat supports are non-rigidly attached to the truss arms 33 to provide for additional swinging movement of the seat supports during operation of the device. In the preferred embodiment each of the seat supports consists of an upright rod 47 which is preferably provided at its upper end with a loop 49 which is swingably engaged with a clevis-like member 51, the clevis members 51 being rigidly secured to bars 39 adjacent their outer ends. It thus will be seen that the seat is enabled to laterally swing during revolution and oscillation of the device. Preferably each of the upright rods 47 is provided at its lower end with foot rest portions 53 which may simply consist of a minor cross member rigidly tired to the lower end of the upright rod.

Each of the upright rods 47 carries a supportfor a seat 55, the support being preferably in the form of a body 57 simulating an animal. Preferably the seat-supporting bodies 57 are vertically adjustable on the support rods 47 in order to provide for relative positioning of the seat and its support relative to the foot rest portions so as to accommodate users having legs of different lengths. In 7 the preferred embodiment this adjustable mounting of the seat supporting bodies on the upright rods is accomplished through the medium of an intermediate threaded section 47A formed on the uprights 47, which slidably passes through a vertical opening 57A formed in the body 57 of the seat support. Adjacent its upper end vertical opening 57A is recessed as at 573 to receive and house a pair of lock nuts 473 which are threadedly engaged with the threaded section 47A. The vertical opening 57A is additionally recessed at its lower end as at 57C to house a lower pair of lock nuts 470, which are th'readedly engaged with the threaded section 47A below the seat-supporting body 57.

As can be seen, the vertical position of seat-supporting body 57 relative to upright rod 47 can easily and quickly be established by threadedly shifting the upper and lower lock nuts. Itwill be observed that the horse body 57 is supported upon the lower nuts 47C (and a plate may be there interposed if desired), and the upward movement of the horse body relative to the upright rod is limited by the upper lock nuts 473. if desired the upper lock nuts 4713 .may be clampingly tightened upon the upper recess 573 so as to maintain the horse body in a fixed position relative to the upright rod. In some instances it is desirable to run down the upper nuts to the horse body, but not to tighten same into clamping engagement therewith, thus permitting the horse body to have a rotational movement relative to the upright rod 47 while limiting and preventing substantially all vertical movement relative to the rod.

The drive of the device is accomplished through the motor-and-drive means housed preferably in motor housing 13. Preferably this drive is accomplished by a suitable electric motor 59 mounted within the housing .13 and powered as through a cable 61 from a suitable source of electrical power, not shown. Mounted on and driven with the motor shaft 63 are drive pulleys s4, es, one of the pulleys, as the lower pulley 65, being of a larger diameter than the diameter of the other pulley as the pulley 64. Preferably the lower end of shaft 21 is pr0- vided with a reduced diameter portion '67, the junction between the upper end of portion 67 and the main body of shaft 21 providing an annular shoulder 68. Turnably mounted preferably on a bearing 69 on reduced portion 67 of shaft 21 is an upper driven pulley 70 and similarly mounted preferably on a bearing 71 also on reduced diameter portion 67 is a lower driven pulley 72. The lower pulley 72 is yieldingly supported on'the upper extremity of a compression spring 73, preferably surrounding'a lower portion of the reduced diameter section 67 of shaft 21. The lower extremity of compression spring 73 seats on adjustment nuts 75, reduced diameter portion 67 adjacent and above bearing 23 being threaded and the nuts 75 threadedly engaging with this threaded portion. The upper driven pulley 7% is limited by shoulder 63 from upwardmovernent along the shaft.

interposed between pulleys 7t), 72 is a spider 77 having a plurality of radially projecting arms. Preferably sec tion 67 is provided with keyways 78 extending longitudinally of shaft portion 67. The hub of spider 77 is provided with inwardly projecting blade-like keys 79., which extend into keyways 7 8 and key the spider to th shaft. Preferably keyways 73 are of a length in excess of the length of keys 79 to provide for limited shift of the spider longitudinally of theshaft. Each of the spider arms rotatably supports a roller 89, the rollers fill being preferably formed as truncated conical sections to provide peripheral conical surfaces for engaging with the upper and lower pulleys'7ll, 72. The lower face of upper pulley 70 is provided with an annular bevel 81 and the upper face of the lower pulley 72 is provided with a similar annular bevel 83, pulley bevels S1, 53 being seated in contact with the conical surfaces of spider rollers 80. Lower pulley 72 is drivingly coupled as by a belt 85 to the lower motor pulley 65 and upper pulley 7b is coupled to upper motor pulley ed, as by a belt 87.

The drive connection or" the 11 r pulley 75 is arranged to drive that pulley in a r nal direction opposite to the rotational direction of drive of lower pulley 72. As best shown in Fig. 6, this is accomplished by interposing a pair of idler pulleys S? rotatably supported from housing 13 as by support 91?, passing upper pulley belt '37 around the idler pulleys 39 and reversely around upper pulley 7% Thus it will be seen that upon drive of the motor pulleys 64, 65 by motor 59, upper driven pulley ill will be driven in one direction, for example counter-clockwise, and simultaneously the lower driven pulley 72 will be driven in the opposite direction, for example clockwise. The two pulleys 7f. bear against the rotatable conical rollers 81), the pulleys and the spider being urged into bevel and roller contact by compression spring 73, through which adjustment of the engagement may be effected by adjustment nuts 75, which also provide for ,takeup in the event of wear on the rollers and/ or pulley surfaces.

It thus will be seen that the driven pulleys 78, 72 are respectively directly coupled to tne respective motor pulleys 64, as for drive thereby, and accordingly that the driven pulleys are individuaily'driven at relatively high rotational rates of speed. In view of the opposite rotational directions of drive of the driven pulleys .provided for in the structure just described, the drive of each of the pulleys'tends to offset the drive of t .e other pulleys. As the driven pulleys bear against the spider-carried rollers the rollers are enabled to rotate by their mounting upon the spider arms and the spider will be rotationally advanced in accordance with the differential between the rotational rates of the oppositely driven pulleys 7%), 72. Accordingly drive is transmitted to shaft 21 through the spider 77, the spider being, as stated, rotationally advanced at a rate normally equal to the difference in the rotational rates of pulleys 7t 72 which is created by the difference in diameter between motor pulleys as, 65. As the drive connection between pulleys 7 3, '72 is maintained in driving engagement through the yieldable compression spring 73 it .is apparent that the drive coupling may be simply interrupted by applying an additional load to the structure of the device, overcoming the force of the spring and permitting a slippage in the drive engagement. It will be seen that in effect the opposite rotations of the respective pulleys 7t), 72 produces an effect somewhat similar to the efiect of a motor brake, in that the more slowly driven pulley acts as a brakeupon and offsets the drive of the oppositely and more rapidly driven pulley.

In the operation of the device the main body of the structure consisting of the hollow standard 11, motor housing 13, the drive mechanism heretofore described which are contained within the motor housing, and the drive shaft and its supporting bearings may be erected upon the tripods and fixed in position with standard 11 and shaft 21 substantially vertical. Hub plate 23 may then be connected to the upper end of shaft 21 and truss arms 33 respectively pivotally connected by trunnions 37 to the hub plate 25 outwardly from the shaft connection. ried by bars 39 of the truss arms 33 bear solidly against the peripheral horizontal cam surface of cam plate 19.

As shown in the drawings, when so positioned diametrically opposite arms 33 are respectively engaged with the opposed portions of the cam surface so that a balance is effected, one of the truss arms being supported in an elevated position by the engagement of roller 43 with a projecting lobe 19A of the cam plate and the diametrically opposite truss arm 33 being supported in lowered position by the engagement of its roller 43 with a cam concavity 19B of the cam plate, and similarly for others of the diametrically opposite truss arms. This balancing arrangement has the effect of minimizing the initial load necessary for the drive elements to overcome in putting the device into revolving motion.

The seat supporting rods 47 may be swingably supported from the outer ends of arms 33 by engaging loops 49 with clevises 51 and connecting the clevises to the respective arms. Preferably prior to connecting the upright rods 47 to the arms the seat supporting bodies 57 are mounted upon the respective uprights 47 by removing upper lock nuts 47B and inserting rod 47 through the vertical opening 57A substantially until the lower lock nuts 47C are engaged with the lower recess 57C. Thereafter the upper lock nuts may be replaced and suspension of the uprights from the arms accomplished as described.

With the device thus assembled and ready for use the position of the individual seat supporting bodies 57 may be vertically adjusted along uprights 47 as desired to establish the preferred relative distance between seat 55 and foot rest 53 by threaded adjustment of the lock nuts 47B, 47C upon threaded section 47A, correspondingly shifting seat bodies 57 along the upright rod. Electric cable 61 may then by couple to a source of electrical power, not shown, energizing motor 59 and initiating drive of the motor pulleys 64, 65 and consequent opposite drive of driven pulleys 70, 72, transmitting drive to the shaft 21 in accordance with the differential between the rotational rates of the driven pulleys as heretofore described.

It will be understood that the foregoing description has been directed to a preferred embodiment of the invention and that changes may be made therein without departing from the present invention. It will further be understood that the numbers of seat supporting arms, of. cam lobes and opposite depressions may be varied without departing from the present invention; further that other forms of motor means may be substituted from the preferred form shown.

I claim:

1. In an amusement device, a vertical central standard, a vertical main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, a horizontal fiat cam plate rigidly fixed to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam When so connected the upper rollers carplate comprising a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, each said lobe being diametrically opposite to a recess, a substantially horizontal hub plate fixed to said shaft above said cam plate, a plurality of arms radially projecting from said hub plate, each said arm comprising a diagonally outwardly extending upper member and a lower bar rigidly connected to the outer end of said upper member, means pivotally connecting said upper members to said hub plate for vertical oscillation of said arms relative to said hub plate, each said bar at its inner end below said connecting means rotatably supporting a roller, said rollers engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, effecting vertical oscillation of said arms, said bars being oscillatable at angles of less than forty-five degrees relative to the horizontal, a plurality of seats, swingably connected to said arms adjacent the outer ends of the bars, motor means, speed differential drive means driven by said motor means, means coupling said shaft to said differential drive means, whereby to couple said shaft to said motor means for drive at a speed reduced relative to the speed of said motor means, to revolve said hub plate and arms efiecting reciprocation of said seats.

2. In an amusement device, a vertical central standard, a vertical main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, a horizontal fiat cam plate rigidly fixed to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam plate comprising a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, each said lobe being diametrically opposite to a recess, a substantially horizontal hub plate fixed to said shaft above said cam plate, a plurality of arms radially projecting from said hub plate, each said arm comprising an outwardly extending upper member and a lower bar rigidly connected to the outer end of said upper member, means pivotally connecting said upper members to said hub plate for vertical oscillation of said arms relative to said hub plate, means carried by said bars below said connecting means engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, effecting vertical oscillation of said arms, a plurality of seats, connected to said arms adjacent the outer ends of said bars, motor means, speed differential drive means driven by said motor means, means coupling said shaft to said differential drive means, and spring means forming part of the drive coupling yieldingly urging maintenance of said coupling, whereby to disengageably couple said shaft to said motor means for drive to revolve said hub plate and arms effecting reciprocation of said seats.

3. In an amusement device, a vertical central standard, a vertical main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, means for driving said shaft, a horizontal flat cam plate rigidly fixed to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam plate comprising a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, each said lobe being diametrically opposite to a recess, a substantially horizontal hub plate fixed to said shaft above said cam plate,

a plurality of truss-like arms radially projecting from 1 said hub plate, said truss-like arms including upper members and lower members, said members being engaged and connected adjacent their outer ends and being spaced apart adjacent their inner ends, strut means extending between and fixed to spaced apart portions of said members, trunnion means respectively pivotally connecting the upper members of said arms to said hub plate for vertical oscillation of said arms relative to said hub plate, each said lower member at its inner end rotatably supporting a roller, said rollers engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, effecting vertical oscillation of said arms, a plurality of seat supporting rods, means swingably connecting said supporting rods respectively to said arms adjacent the outer ends of the arms, each of said supporting rods having an intermediate threaded section, a plurality of lock nuts respectively threadedly attached to said supporting rods, a plurality of seats respectively slidably mounted on said rods and supported by said lock nuts, said rods extending through said seats and including foot rest means below said seats, whereby to mount said seats for adjustment relative to said foot rest means.

4. In an amusement device, a vertical central standard, a vertical main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, means for driving said shaft, a horizontal flat cam plate rigidly fixed to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam plate comprising a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, each said lobe being diametrically opposite to a recess, a substantially horizontal hub plate fixed to said shaft above said cam plate, a plurality of truss-like arms radially projecting from said hub plate, said truss-like arms including upper members and lower members, said members being engaged and connected adjacent their outer ends and being spaced apart adjacent their inner ends, strut means extending between and fixed to spaced apart portions of said members, trunnion means respectively pivotally connecting the upper members of said arms to said hub plate for vertical oscillation of said arms relative to said hub plate, each said lower member at its inner end rotatably supporting a roller, said rollers engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, effecting vertical oscillation of said arms, a plurality of seat supporting rods, and means swingably connecting said supporting rods respectively to said arms adjacent the outer ends of the arms, each of said supporting rods having an intermediate threaded section, and a plurality of seats respectively supported by said threaded section.

5. In an amusement device, a vertical central stand ard, a vertical main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, means for driving said shaft, a horizontal flat cam plate rigidly fixed to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam plate comprising a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, each said lobe being diametrically opposite to a recess, a substantially horizontal hub plate fixed to said shaft above said cam plate, a plurality of truss-like arms radially projecting from said hub plate, said truss-like arms including upper members and lower members, said members being engaged and connected adjacent'their outer ends and being spaced apart adjacent their inner ends, strut means extending between and fixed to spaced apart portions of said members, trunnion means respectively pivotally connecting the upper members of said arms to said hub plate for vertical oscillation of said arms relative to said hub plate, each said lower member at its inner end rotatably supporting a roller, said rollers engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, effecting vertical oscillation of said arms, said cam outwardly supporting each of said rollers and related truss-like arms, and a plurality of seats, dependingly connected to said arms adjacent the outer ends of the arms.

6. In an amusement device, a vertical central standard, a vertical main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, means for driving said shaft, a horizontal fiat cam plate rigidly fixed to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam plate comprising a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, each said lobe being diametrically opposite to a recess, a substantially horizontal hub plate fixed to said shaft above said cam plate, a plurality of upper member radially projecting from said hub plate, trunnion means respectively pivotally connecting the .said upper members to said hub plate for vertical oscillation of said upper members relative to said 'hub plate, a plurality of flat bars respectively rigidly connected to the outer ends of said upper members intermediate the ends of said bars, each of said bars at its inner end rotatably supporting a roller, said rollers and said bars being outwardly supported -by said cam, the outer ends of said upper members being respectively outwardly supported by said bars, said rollers engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, effecting vertical oscillation of the respective upper members and related bars, and a plurality of seats dependingly connected to said bars adjacent the outer ends of said bars.

7. In an amusement device, a vertical central standard, a vertical main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, means for driving said shaft, a horizontal ilat cam plate rigidly fixed to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam plate comprising a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, each said lobe being diametrically opposite to a recess, a substantially horizontal hub plate fixed to said shaft above said cam plate,

a plurality of radially extending upper members respec-' tively pivotally connected at their inner ends to said hub plate, a plurality of flat bars respectively rigidly connected to the outer ends of said upper members intermediate the ends of said bars, each of said bars at its inner end rotatably supporting a roller, said rollers and said bars being outwardly supported by said cam, the outer ends of said upper members being respectively outwardly supported by said bars, said rollers engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, 'efiecting vertical oscillation of the respective upper members and related bars, and a plurality of seats dependingly connected to said bars adjacent the outer ends of said bars.

8. In an amusement device, a central standard, a main shaft revolvably supported in said standard, means for driving said shaft, a flat cam plate rigidly fixed substantially perpendicularly to said standard adjacent but spaced below its upper end, said cam plate comprising.

a peripheral edge including a plurality of convex lobes, a like plurality of concave recesses, a hub plate fixed substantially perpendicularly to said shaft spaced from said cam plate, a plurality of radially extending upper members respectively pivotally connected at their inner ends to said hub plate, a plurality of flat bars respectively rigidly connected to the outer ends of said'upper members intermediate the ends of said bars, each of said 'bars at its inner end rotatably supporting a roller,,said rollers and bars being outwardly supported by said cam, I

the outer ends of said upper members being respectively outwardly supported by said bars, said rollers engaging said cam plate peripheral edge and under shaft revolution moving inward and outward relative to said standard, effecting vertical oscillation of the respective upper members and related bars, and a plurality of seats connected to said arms.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 938,283 Smith Oct. '26, 1909 1,279,117 Jewell Sept. 17, 1918 1,285,066 Khotinski Nov. 19, 1918 1,346,576 Welch July 13, 1920 2,195,805 Baker Apr. 2, 1940 2,202,543 Walker May 28, 1940 2,550,974 Corsere May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 180,586 Germany Jan. '24, 1907 

